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WADA suspends accreditation of Chinese anti-doping lab

The World Anti-Doping Agency has suspended its accreditation of Beijing's anti-doping laboratory. The move prevents the facility from carrying out tests that meet international standards.

Beijing's National Anti-Doping laboratory found itself suspended for a maximum of four months by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Thursday, after failing to comply with international standards.

WADA said the lab needed to take five "remedial steps" and to tackle "non-conformities." WADA did not identify what the exact issues at the Chinese facility were. If successful in meeting the requirements, WADA said, the laboratory could apply for reinstatement within the four months.

The Chinese lab also has 21 days to appeal the decision.

"The suspension, which takes effect immediately, prohibits the laboratory from carrying out any WADA-related anti-doping activities including all analyses of urine and blood samples," WADA said in a statement.

Widespread failures reported in Russia

The full significance of the ban remains unclear, given that details of any breaches have yet to be revealed.

A Moscow laboratory that was used for anti-doping tests had its accreditation revoked last Friday, after systematic